


Thesis On Unconditional Support

by YearnForSomeDay



Series: Her Greatest Disappointment... Not really [2]
Category: The Devil Wears Prada (2006)
Genre: A look into Caroline’s wickedness and genius, Didn’t mean to yell but sure., F/F, I LOVE HER SO MUCH, Stands on its own as well as in the story, it’s a couple of years later
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-28
Updated: 2020-08-28
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:00:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 942
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26155372
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YearnForSomeDay/pseuds/YearnForSomeDay
Summary: Caroline is starting her thesis, but lacks in inspiration. In her hunt for ideas, she finds an old photo of her mom. It’s seemingly unremarkable considering all the photos of her, but Caroline spots the person standing behind her mom, and now understands the significance.
Relationships: Miranda Priestly/Andrea Sachs
Series: Her Greatest Disappointment... Not really [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1899331
Comments: 18
Kudos: 160





	Thesis On Unconditional Support

Caroline brushes the old photo gently. It’s marked _September 21 st, 2008_, ten years ago from this day. She can’t help but feel nostalgic, though she wasn’t at the event, she can imagine the livelihood and fun of the time.

Why this photo was kept isn’t clear to her. It’s nothing special, her mom has been photographed countless times, and even though she looks stunning and rightfully royal in an auburn wrap and matching skirt that must be by _Prada_ , it doesn’t seem to stand out from any other time she’s been to fashion week in Paris.

Caroline blows off the dust from the delicate photo, and they are blown away, sprinkling the air. She takes a closer look, and now understands why this photo is so particular. Behind her mom, standing close by but not hovering, just out of the lens’ focus, is Andy Sachs. She’s unmistakable now, and Caro wonders how she could’ve overlooked Andy’s presence. 2008... that would be two years after Andy quit being her mom’s assistant, and about a year after they’d gotten reacquainted and fallen in love.

Andy was an absolute vision in velvet. Velvet in color and texture. The dress cuts to her cleavage tastefully, and she’s covered by a fur mink. Definitely faux-fur, of course, if Andy had had any say, and Caroline bet she did. She grins at the conversation in her mind.

“Miranda, this isn’t real fur, is it? Because you know how I feel about that, we have to be conscious of how we’re treating earth, we just watched that documentary last week – wait, _were you not watching_?”

She imagines her mom rolls her eyes here, completely exasperated with Andy.

“Yes, I absolutely enjoy hearing you _rag_ on my conscious decisions to behead animals, Andrea. Really. Have you no faith?” Her mom would say something dry and witty, never giving a direct yes or no with Andy, just to mess with her.

Andy looks bright in the photo. Her dress is bright, yes, but her face is lit up blindingly, beaming at whatever she’s looking at. Or whomever, Caroline amends.

It’s clear that Andy was staring in awe at her mom, stars shining in her eyes like the lovesick dumbass she still was. Caroline eyes her surroundings suspiciously, until she remembers she’s alone, and didn’t say a word out loud. Good. Whew. Lord knows Andy would have a field day if she heard Caro declare her a dumbass. But she was though.

Come to think of it, her mom looked the same as always, poised and all, but her eyes bore an underlining tenderness and excitement in them.

Andy is to her -Caro decided a few years ago, not too long after the fateful night they'd come home to see Andy and her mom looking guilty, trying to hide the fact that they were making out just seconds before- family. She still can’t believe they thought they could’ve gotten away with it, her mom looking happier than Caro had seen her in a long time; Andy looking even more guilty than when they’d seen her sneak into the house carrying the Book, hoping to be unnoticed, and _Jesus Christ, how did they overlook that freaking lipstick mark on her mom’s freaking neck_?

Caroline shakes her head in dismay.

 _The_ executive editor of _the_ fashion empire, and a senior journalist for the New York Times. How could they be so dumb? She should thank whoever’s in charge up there, that she and Cassidy had been pardoned from the stupid gene. Her mom’s not stupid, of course. Mostly. Only when she’s with Andy, so… pretty much every single moment she’s not in the office then, Caroline decides.

Ha! And she doesn’t share genes with Andy. Nor jeans for that matter, not that Andy could fit into hers.

Caroline snorts. She knows that her teasing Andy for her weight is still a sore point for Andy, but how can she help it, when Andy looks soooo indignant as it happens, to the point Caro sees her mom and Cassidy hide their snickering? She doesn’t think Andy to be fat at all. Not since her mom had a serious talk with them years ago.

She would bet all her money on Andy having something to do with that. And with the large fee she got from that, she would put some of it to use immediately. She’d buy large quantities of the trash ice cream that Andy loves so much, _Ben and Jerry_ , because she knows Andy has been stressed out for the past few weeks. Even their mom walked around eggshells for her.

Mom would never say out loud in front of them, just how much she cares for Andy, but she shows it both unconsciously and deliberately.

Unconsciously picking up after Andy, all the while muttering profanities beneath her breath. And deliberately holding Andy’s hand at events, making sure Andy knows that she’s there, and that she’s proud to be by Andy’s side.

Caroline touches the photo fondly.

She hopes she finds a love like the one her mom and Andy share, someday. But for now, she’s content. And should go work on her thesis.

Back in her old room she’d moved back in for the summer, Caroline types out ‘Unconditional Support Between Women: A Study On Female Relationships’.

Yes, they were still dumbasses, but they were dumbasses who would always be around for each other, as well as for Caroline and Cass.

The photo is now captured between her mom’s work desk and the glass board encompassing it. It’s there to stay safe and sound, and for her mom to fondly reminisce.

**Author's Note:**

> Some inspiration flew to me and I embraced them before they had to go find their next recipient. Please leave a comment if you have the time, hope you enjoy Caroline’s perspective!!


End file.
